Assistant coaches

[hoops04]

What is the TSSAA rule (if there is one) around having a relative serve as an assistant coach for any sport?

[CoachT]

What is the TSSAA rule (if there is one) around having a relative serve as an assistant coach for any sport?

 

There isn't one. It is left up to the school boards but they usually only make that determination as to teaching positions at the same school, not coaching.

[hoops04]

There isn't one. It is left up to the school boards but they usually only make that determination as to teaching positions at the same school, not coaching.

 

 

Are you 100% certain on this? I know I searched the by-laws for TSSAA and did not see any reference, but just want to be sure before I go any further.

[Diggsdisciple]

How many out there think non certified people should be allowed to coach public school teams. I personally think it belittles the professional standing of teachers who have earned advanced degrees to do what they do. I also worry about placing our kids in the hands of people who have not been certified at the collegiate level. I would imagine that could result in a whooper of a lawsuit if something went amiss. What do you folks think about it? I am curious to hear from both sides.

[CoachT]

Are you 100% certain on this? I know I searched the by-laws for TSSAA and did not see any reference, but just want to be sure before I go any further.

 

I am 99% sure but, as with anything with the TSSAA, you may want to call and see.

 

615-889-6740

 

You might have to wait a day or two to get a definite answer since the TSSAA BOC is meeting today and tomorrow and the TSSAA officers will be out of the office.

[rcpatriot]

I've been a volunteer head wrestling coach for 11 years now. Been a middle school assistant football coach for 7 years now and the head middle school baseball coach for one year now. No I do not have a college degree and no I'm not a certified teacher. And, no, I certainly don't believe that by being allowed to do this do I in any way belittle the ranks of those that are considered professionals.

Definetly not putting myself in the same catagory, but there are many football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, etc coaches that don't have degrees that are excellent coaches in their respective sport. I was voted on by our local school board and then was certified (if you want to call it that) by TSSAA back over 11 years ago. Not because I didn't finish college and become a "certified teacher/coach", but I think many would argue that having that diploma on the wall isn't going to make you a better coach than those of us that don't have one. It does show that they made a committment that some weren't willing to make and fullfilled it. While I may not have a college diploma hanging on my wall, I do have a DD214 (Military Honorable Discharge) that is packed away somewhere that I'm just as proud of.

[Diggsdisciple]

I've been a volunteer head wrestling coach for 11 years now. Been a middle school assistant football coach for 7 years now and the head middle school baseball coach for one year now. No I do not have a college degree and no I'm not a certified teacher. And, no, I certainly don't believe that by being allowed to do this do I in any way belittle the ranks of those that are considered professionals.

Definetly not putting myself in the same catagory, but there are many football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, etc coaches that don't have degrees that are excellent coaches in their respective sport. I was voted on by our local school board and then was certified (if you want to call it that) by TSSAA back over 11 years ago. Not because I didn't finish college and become a "certified teacher/coach", but I think many would argue that having that diploma on the wall isn't going to make you a better coach than those of us that don't have one. It does show that they made a committment that some weren't willing to make and fullfilled it. While I may not have a college diploma hanging on my wall, I do have a DD214 (Military Honorable Discharge) that is packed away somewhere that I'm just as proud of.

 

 

Thanks for replying RCPatriot. I totally respect everything you said and say thank you for your military service. I am sure you are an outstanding coach by the fact you have been hired so many times in the position. However, I think you missed the heart of my question. This is not about who makes good coaches. I realize that they are tons of people who can coach and relate to athletes like yourself. However teachers have struggled for respect for years(per paycheck) and the fact that people are hired who have not obtained the degree(please do not view me as an elitist, I know a degree in itself makes no one better than anyone else but it is the standard by which we separate ourselves professionally, like it or not) are hired and paid on the same template as those who have sacraficed to earn the degrees. I mean no disrespect and I also realize that without volunteer assistants we would be woefully short in the field at certain schools. This would not be the case if teachers and coaches were paid according to the degree that they have earned. If the pay scale were more appropriate you would have ample teachers lining up to coach and motivation for those who want and are able to coach going to school and earning the proper credentials. Again thank you for replying and thanks for your work with our kids.

[Rhea Co.]

Thanks for replying RCPatriot. I totally respect everything you said and say thank you for your military service. I am sure you are an outstanding coach by the fact you have been hired so many times in the position. However, I think you missed the heart of my question. This is not about who makes good coaches. I realize that they are tons of people who can coach and relate to athletes like yourself. However teachers have struggled for respect for years(per paycheck) and the fact that people are hired who have not obtained the degree(please do not view me as an elitist, I know a degree in itself makes no one better than anyone else but it is the standard by which we separate ourselves professionally, like it or not) are hired and paid on the same template as those who have sacraficed to earn the degrees. I mean no disrespect and I also realize that without volunteer assistants we would be woefully short in the field at certain schools. This would not be the case if teachers and coaches were paid according to the degree that they have earned. If the pay scale were more appropriate you would have ample teachers lining up to coach and motivation for those who want and are able to coach going to school and earning the proper credentials. Again thank you for replying and thanks for your work with our kids.

 

 

Volunteer assistant coaches most of the time are not paid so, pay really shouldn't be an issue. Most volunteer coaches just coach for the love of the sport. Now there are some school systems that have county employees as assitant coaches, but I don't know much about that deal. Just from what I know in our school system all of our head coaches are teachers and the only sports that I know of where non faculty are used is in football just do to the size of the team and the need for outside help, and the golf team. Now I will say this about a few non faculty coaches at our school, we have college students working to gain experience for when they do finally earn their degree. Which i think is important to gain that extra experience outside the classroom.

 

I do agree teacher pay is way to low for the important jobs they do.

[clintabbott]

Volunteer assistant coaches most of the time are not paid so, pay really shouldn't be an issue. Most volunteer coaches just coach for the love of the sport. Now there are some school systems that have county employees as assitant coaches, but I don't know much about that deal. Just from what I know in our school system all of our head coaches are teachers and the only sports that I know of where non faculty are used is in football just do to the size of the team and the need for outside help, and the golf team. Now I will say this about a few non faculty coaches at our school, we have college students working to gain experience for when they do finally earn their degree. Which i think is important to gain that extra experience outside the classroom.

 

I do agree teacher pay is way to low for the important jobs they do.

 

The TSSAA approved non faculty in the fall of 1995 and the first coaches education class was the second week of March of 1996. They are used in every sport of the TSSAA have had over 5000 participants in 147 classes. The class is taught about 14 times a year all across the state.

[allamerican2014]

The TSSAA approved non faculty in the fall of 1995 and the first coaches education class was the second week of March of 1996. They are used in every sport of the TSSAA have had over 5000 participants in 147 classes. The class is taught about 14 times a year all across the state.

 

So what does having a teaching degree have to do with ones ability to coach. Teachers have struggled with "respect" for years and your implying that it is because of volunteer coaches? The problem with high school sports in Tennessee is that you have to be a teacher to be a coach. Their are many dads/moms that coach in the community parks that know more about their specific sport than the high school coach in many communities!

[Diggsdisciple]

So what does having a teaching degree have to do with ones ability to coach. Teachers have struggled with "respect" for years and your implying that it is because of volunteer coaches? The problem with high school sports in Tennessee is that you have to be a teacher to be a coach. Their are many dads/moms that coach in the community parks that know more about their specific sport than the high school coach in many communities!

 

 

 

Thank you All American I could not have proved my point any better. If you would have read and "understood" the depth of my post you would have clearly seen the point of emphasis. You instead proved the agenda by which jealous people who did not pursue higher degrees level against professionals who have sacrificed for the opportunity. Please keep adding your wisdom to the topic, I could not do it justice compared to you.

[rcpatriot]

I helped start the wrestling program at our local HS and that's why a volunteer coach was/is being used for that sport at our school. I've told the administration that if they ever have a teacher with the background in the sport that wants to take the program over, I would step aside. That has been 11 years ago and no teacher has ever wanted to take the program over.

I've coached baseball for 23 years (little league, traveling ball, etc) and was asked to coach our MS baseball program this past season because no teachers wanted to coach it. The same with the MS football program that I've been a part of for 7 years.

There are several reasons that volunteer coaches are being used today in HS sports; less or non paid position, filling a coaching position that teachers aren't applying for, the pay versus the hours devoted equals pennies, and probably the biggest reason there aren't enough teachers applying to fill coaching positions is due to irrate parents that can make your life miserable, on and off the field.

I've personally dealt with all of those problems during the years I've coached, whether that be as a volunteer coach with the school or as a traveling coach. I don't do it for any other reason than the passion for the sport I'm coaching and the passion at attempting to be a positive role model for our youth. To me, that's what it's all about. If you are doing it for the pay (which most coaches aren't, whether they are college educated or not), you won't last very long!